Truism: A Tag to SitW
by seeleybaby
Summary: One shot picking up right at the end of the episode. Let me know what you think!


I don't know if this happens to anyone else, but sometimes when I watch an episode, there will be a line or a moment, and instantly...a story idea will happen. And it happened during The Salt in the Wounds for me...and here is that story. She said sad, did you catch that? Booth did, and so did I.....

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Brennan stood across the street, observing a scene she'd participated in many times. Booth. In the diner. Explaining to someone else what was right, helping that person think about something in a new way. And watching that occur, from the outside, felt right and wrong at the same time.

And she had to admit (even to herself) that Booth helped her. He helped her see things in new ways. She smiled to herself as she made her way down the sidewalk to her car before realizing that her car was at her house since she'd come to the bar with Booth. Sparing another glance back toward him, she saw him lean forward and point about something, but he was smiling also. So she fished in her pockets for money to call a cab.

On the ride home, she saw the way the western sky streaked with blues and darker blues, the only remnants of what she supposed had been a beautiful sunset. Another one she'd missed. But was Angela right? Was a beautiful sunset made more so when viewed with another person? But not just any other person. A person you cared about?

In the past, Brennan would have denied that. Beauty can't be a shared experience; something was beautiful in the eye of the beholder. But as she looked at the empty cab seat beside her, she wondered if again, maybe she'd been incorrect. Perhaps it was possible to share beauty with someone else.

These thoughts and others swarmed through her mind as she paid the driver and made her way inside her apartment.

Sharing…

Sure, she knew the basic principle, but had always applied it to tangible quantities. Share your toys. Share your money with those less fortunate. Share your…

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts, and she paused for a moment, wondering who it could be. She opened the door, and was surprised to see her partner on the other side, his hand in the air to knock again.

"Booth" she smiled. "Come in."

He didn't though, but just smiled in return. "You said sad."

"What?" her brow furrowed. "No, I didn't. I said come in. Well, technically, I said 'Booth, Come in', but I didn't say sad"

He chuckled and shook his head. "No, at the bar. You said sad. The _sad_ truism. Those girls believed the sad truism that they were better off without men or whatever."

"Women can't _count _on men" she clarified.

"Ah, so you _do_ remember" he grinned and leaned his tall weight against her doorframe, his leather jacket open a bit in a straight line down his torso.

"What's the significance?" she wanted to know. And why was he still just standing there?

One of his hands slid into his pocket. "Well, if you think that truism is sad, then it must mean you don't approve of it."

Brennan considered his words. "I suppose that's a rational conclusion."

His lips turned into a full smile then, and his eyes crinkled in delight. "So you think women can depend on men?"

"Earlier, you didn't appreciate that classification of 'men', so I hardly think it's fair that you are using it now for your own argument" she challenged, her eyes bright.

He clicked his tongue against his teeth. "True…true. Hmmm…" his eyes narrowed. "I guess you're right about that. So, then let me restate. You…" he pointed at her, "think that a woman can depend on a man."

Brennan's hands moved to her hips. "I'd say it depends on the man. And the woman."

"But…"

She swallowed. "But yes, I would agree that a woman can depend on a man, and likewise, a man on a woman" she asserted.

Booth chuckled and nodded. "I'll agree to that as well."

Her eyes looked over his standing form, then met his eyes again. "Come in"

Booth looked at her for a few moments, then smiled and pushed off from the door to stand up straight. "I'd better not tonight. But I'll catch you tomorrow, okay?"

Brennan nodded, feeling a slight sadness for a reason she couldn't quite classify. "Okay, sure…"

He nodded and turned away. "Goodnight, Bones…"

Brennan moved to shut her door, then opened it quickly. "Hey, Booth!" she called, and he paused.

"Yeah, Bones?" he turned to look at her.

She swallowed and bit her bottom lip before speaking. "Have you ever seen the sunrise from the top of the Jeffersonian?"

His eyes seemed surprised, but also pleased. "No, I can't say I've ever done that."

"Well…it's very beautiful…you should see it sometime."

Booth waited a couple of moments, then nodded. "Yeah, I guess I should."

He turned to walk away further, and Brennan gritted her teeth, then opened her mouth, "Booth!" she called again, now stepping out into her hallway.

"Yeah, Bones?" he repeated, his hand on the door to the outside.

"I…um, I will be up there tomorrow morning…if you think you might want to see it."

Booth smiled and nodded, then opened the door and walked outside.


End file.
